Special Development Initiatives Minister Explains Her Ministry’s Work

Many have wondered the core mandate of the newly created Ministry of Special Development Initiatives by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, but the Minister in-charge of the ministry, Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson has cleared the air regarding her ministry’s responsibilities.

According to the Awutu-Senya East Member of Parliament, the Special Development Initiatives Ministry was set up by President Akufo-Addo with the sole aim of righting the wrongs of the previous Savannah Development Authority (SADA) by supervising and directing the operations of these authorities.

In a studio discussion with Kwame Nkrumah Tikese on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Hon. Hawa Koomson hinted that her ministry's first responsibility was ensuring that three (3) development authorities namely; Northern Development Authority (NDA), Middle-Belt Development Authority (MDA) and Coastal Development Authority (CDA) come on board through an Act by Parliament.

Delving into the responsibilities of these development authorities under the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives, Hon. Hawa Koomson averred their work is to ensure each constituency is allotted with $1 million projects yearly as promised by President Akufo-Addo.

She detailed that the $1 million per constituency promised will not be shared among the constituents or given to the Member of Parliament to decide on its usage in the constituencies, but rather the authorities instituted will control the usage of the money through financial clearance from the Finance Ministry.

“We have Northern Development Authority, Middle-Belt Development Authority and Coastal Development Authority under my ministry and our responsibility is to give $1million each to all the constituencies as promised in 2016, but because some people may not get some of the money when shared, the President has therefore decided to invest the money in developmental projects in the constituencies and these are going to be the activities of these development authorities under the supervision and direction of my ministry,” she explained.

She explained that she could not start work last year as complained by former President Mahama and Juaboso MP, Kwanbena Mintah Akandoh just because the authorities were not institutionalised by Parliament and any attempt to have used the money would have been a breach of the Constitution.